Family Photo Apps

App facts

BackThen

Originals kept, any-length video, relatives who post — and deletion clauses to read first

1 GB free, then $6.49 a month for 200 GB that is uncapped for now. Originals kept, videos of any length, no ads, and relatives who view on the web and add their own. Bulk export is VIP-only, a lapsed account is deleted after 60 days, and computer vision runs on the photos.

Facts checked 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-13 · Covers 1 app

Just the safety question? Is BackThen safe? →

Where BackThen ranks

Its place on each "best for…" page — the same fifteen criteria, weighted for one situation at a time. Green is the top third of that page's ranking, red the bottom third.

BackThen comes from “the team behind Lifecake — the original online childhood journal, founded in 2012”: a timeline per child, on iPhone, Android and the web, with prints and photo books ordered from the app. Its free tier is small but complete, its VIP tier is cheap and currently uncapped, and its handling of the files is the best of any paid tier here apart from Kin Album’s. The fine print is about leaving.

Every criterion

Price
Free 1 GB; VIP $6.49/mo (app stores) or $64.99/yr (website), 200 GB1 GB free, "typically up to three months". VIP is £4.99 / $6.49 / €5.99 a month through the app stores, or £49.99 / $64.99 / €59.99 a year through the website, for "up to 200GB" — "we currently allow unlimited uploads at no extra cost". The monthly price rose from $4.99 on 3 July 2025, its first change since 2020.[1][2][3][4]
Do relatives have to pay?
No — 'When invited to a timeline, BackThen is always free'No. "When invited to a timeline, BackThen is always free", and VIP's benefits "extend to everyone you privately share your timelines with".[1][5]
Storage limit
1 GB free; 200 GB on VIP, uncapped for now; deletion clauses in the terms1 GB free, 200 GB on VIP, and "we currently allow unlimited uploads at no extra cost". The terms say free-package content "will be stored for a period of 120 days from the date of last logged in access" and then deleted, and that over an allowance "we will delete your oldest content".[6][2][7]
Photos kept at full quality?
Yes — 'Full resolution preservation'; downloads return 'your originally uploaded file'Yes. Photos and videos are "always preserved in their original quality" on the free tier, VIP lists "Full resolution preservation", and downloading a memory returns "your originally uploaded file".[1][2][8]
Video limits
Any length — 'HD videos of any length'No length limit: "Save photos and HD videos of any length", and VIP never restricts "the length of videos you can upload". Storage is the only constraint.[1][2]
Ads?
No — 'Ad-free timelines forever'No. "We don’t believe in displaying your private and precious memories alongside a piece of advertising"; VIP lists "Ad-free timelines forever" and the free tier "continues to offer the same features as before".[9][2][3]
AI or face recognition run on your photos?
Yes — 'computer vision' to organise photos; a timelapse of the child's face; no switch describedYes. The privacy policy says "With computer vision and analysis of photo metadata, we can help you more easily organize and enjoy your collection of photos", and the timelapse feature "shows you how their face changes over time". The FAQ adds that "BackThen does not autodetect a child in a photo" for tagging. No way to switch the analysis off is described.[10][11][12]
Can the company open your photos?
Yes — stored on its own AWS servers; no end-to-end claimYes. Photos are "on a series of secure servers" in "Amazon's cloud infrastructure (AWS)" and served to your account and the people you share with. No end-to-end claim; the privacy policy says "no data transmission over the Internet or data storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure".[13][10]
Can family look without installing an app?
Yes — relatives 'sign up on the web' and view in a browserYes. Invited family "can follow their invite mail on any computer or web browser and sign up on the web", then "see all your new moments, like and comment on them as normal, even if they don't have mobile devices".[14]
Do viewers need an account?
Yes — every invitee signs up, on the web or in the appYes. An invitation is "a link that allows them to sign up and join your timeline"; there is no view-only link.[15][14]
Can family add their own photos?
Yes — invitees add photos and videos; per-person, per-child permissionsYes. "Family and friends can view your timeline, like memories, comment on memories and add their own photos and videos to the timeline", and each ability can be switched off per contact and per child.[15][16]
Can you leave with everything?
Partly — bulk export is VIP-only; free users download one by one; a lapsed account is deleted after 60 daysPartly. The export tool — ZIP files of "all your original files", emailed within about 24 hours, once per timeline every 30 days — "is a VIP feature"; free users "can download items one by one and get the originals back that way". After cancelling, "you’ll no longer be able to add new content or export your memories", existing memories stay accessible for up to 60 days, and then "your account will be closed, and all information, photos & videos deleted".[17][8][3][18]
Platforms
iOS, Android, web (viewing, commenting and uploading; managing timelines is app-only)iPhone and iPad on the App Store, Android on Google Play, and the web, where relatives view, like, comment and upload; "The web experience is not designed for managing your timelines, so those options remain the app only".[4][19][14][20]
App Store label: data used to track you
Yes Identifiers used to track you; email, name, photos, user ID and device ID linkedApp Store label: "Data Used to Track You: Identifiers". Data linked to you: a device ID for "Developer’s Advertising or Marketing"; usage data for analytics; and email address, name, photos or videos, user ID, device ID and "Sensitive Info" for app functionality. Advertising data is collected unlinked.[4]
How it makes money
VIP subscriptions, prints and photo booksVIP subscriptions — "a small subscription fee beyond" the free gigabyte — plus prints, calendars, cards and photo books ordered from the app. The company's pet app, Huply, shares the account.[9][11]

What stands out

Originals in, originals out — one at a time on the free tier. “Full resolution preservation” on VIP, “always preserved in their original quality” on the free gigabyte, and a download returns “your originally uploaded file”. The bulk export tool — ZIP files of “all your original files”, emailed within about 24 hours — is a VIP feature, once per timeline every 30 days.

Videos of any length. “Save photos and HD videos of any length”, and VIP never restricts “the length of videos you can upload”. Only Keepr Circle matches that among the fourteen apps, and Keepr converts to 720p; BackThen keeps the file.

Relatives who post, on the web. Invited family view, like, comment and add photos and videos, and each ability can be switched off per person and per child; a relative with no phone signs up on the web. Nobody but the parent pays.

The deletion clauses. Cancel VIP and, by the July 2025 FAQ, “After 60 days, your account will be closed, and all information, photos & videos deleted”; the cancellation FAQ says memories stay accessible for up to 60 days first. The terms delete free-package content 120 days after the last login, and delete the oldest content when an account is over its allowance. Keep your own copies.

Computer vision, and a label with identifiers. The privacy policy uses “computer vision and analysis of photo metadata” to organise photos, the timelapse follows the child’s face over time, and no switch is described. The App Store label lists identifiers as used to track you — the same entry as FamilyAlbum’s — beside a home page that says “no ads and no data-sharing”.

Two prices for the same thing. $6.49 a month through the app stores, or $64.99 a year only through the website, about 17 percent less; the monthly price rose from $4.99 on 3 July 2025, its first change since 2020.

Who it suits

Families who want the originals, any-length video and relatives who post, on both phone platforms and the web, and who will keep their own copies. Families who want the company unable to open the photos, or nothing run on them, should compare Kin Album; families who want a link with no account should compare Keepr Circle.

Where next

Is BackThen safe? → Your own mix: set the sliders → BackThen vs FamilyAlbum → BackThen vs Tinybeans →

Where BackThen ranks ↑ Back to the top ↑

Sources

  1. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Can I try BackThen for free?, checked 2026-09-13
    Start saving your little one's story today with our free starter pack - 1GB of memories (typically up to three months) safely stored, organized, and privately shared … Save photos and HD videos of any length, always preserved in their original quality … When invited to a timeline, BackThen is always free. They continue enjoying it all at no cost when a parent becomes VIP.
  2. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How much does a BackThen VIP subscription cost?, checked 2026-09-13
    A monthly subscription at £4.99 / $6.49 / €5.99 via your app store provider, or an annual subscription at £49.99 / $64.99 / €59.99 through our website at backthen.com … Up to 200GB family storage … Ad-free timelines forever … Full resolution preservation … never trading your data, showing advertisements within your timelines, reducing the quality of your photos or videos, or restricting the length of videos you can upload … BackThen VIP officially includes up to 200GB storage, but we currently allow unlimited uploads at no extra cost.
  3. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — July 2025 Price Increase, checked 2026-09-13
    Starting from July 3rd, 2025, our monthly VIP subscription will increase as follows … From $4.99 to $6.49 (US) … The BackThen VIP subscription has remained unchanged since launch in April 2020 … If you choose to cancel, you’ll no longer be able to add new content or export your memories after the last day of your subscription. Friends and family will no longer be able to access your child’s story … After 60 days, your account will be closed, and all information, photos & videos deleted … the free version of BackThen with up to 1GB of free storage to try BackThen before you subscribe continues to offer the same features as before.
  4. BackThen — App Store listing: BackThen - Baby Book & Albums (privacy label, purchases), checked 2026-09-13
    Full resolution — We never compress your images … All devices welcome — iOS, email, web & other mobile platforms … Data Used to Track You: Identifiers · Data Linked to You: Developer’s Advertising or Marketing — Identifiers (Device ID); Analytics — Usage Data; App Functionality — Contact Info (Email Address, Name), User Content (Photos or Videos), Identifiers (User ID, Device ID), Sensitive Info · Data Not Linked to You: Developer’s Advertising or Marketing — Usage Data, Advertising Data; App Functionality — Diagnostics (Crash Data) … In-App Purchases: VIP - Monthly payment $6.49 … From the team behind Lifecake — the original online childhood journal, founded in 2012.
  5. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Do my invited family and friends have to pay too?, checked 2026-09-13
    No! BackThen VIP is inclusive and unlimited. Your benefits extend to everyone you privately share your timelines with … Everyone you invite can view, comment, and add their own memories (you have complete control over their permissions).
  6. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — I’m close to my storage limit, what do I do?, checked 2026-09-13
    When you're approaching your 1GB free storage limit, we'll send you various notifications … joining BackThen VIP allows up to 200GB* of secure storage … BackThen VIP officially includes up to 200GB storage, but we currently allow unlimited uploads at no extra cost. Future tiers will include a 2TB option and will be reasonably priced.
  7. BackThen — BackThen terms of service (section 13, storage), checked 2026-09-13
    If you are using one of our Free Service Package, Content will be stored for a period of 120 days from the date of last logged in access to the Service, and will be deleted promptly after the expiration of such period … If you are using more storage than permitted by your storage allowance, for example as a result of your storage subscription plan expiring, we will delete your oldest content to reduce your storage use within your allowance. Once content is deleted, it cannot be recovered.
  8. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Can I download items without subscribing?, checked 2026-09-13
    Absolutely - the export tool is a VIP-only feature, but you can still get your original content back individually … tap the Download option and you'll get your originally uploaded file back.
  9. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Are you going to put adverts everywhere?, checked 2026-09-13
    No. We don’t believe in displaying your private and precious memories alongside a piece of advertising - it takes away from how special the experience can be. For this reason, while BackThen is free for the first 1Gb, which should allow you to grow a sizeable timeline, there is a small subscription fee beyond that.
  10. BackThen — BackThen privacy policy, checked 2026-09-13
    With computer vision and analysis of photo metadata, we can help you more easily organize and enjoy your collection of photos on our online photo storage services … Device and platform identifiers let us know which device you are using to access our Services in order to customize and optimize them to your device … We do not share location information with third parties nor sell it to anyone … Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet or data storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.
  11. BackThen — backthen.com home page, checked 2026-09-13
    Save photos of any size, videos of any length, plus unlimited milestones and stories. The original quality of your content is preserved (we don’t compress!) … 100% privacy - no ads and no data-sharing … Our timelapse tech shows you how their face changes over time … Enjoy 1GB of free storage … VIP Subscription £4.99 / $6.49 / €5.99 Storage limit: 200GB … Our pet-app is included for FREE. 1 account, 2 apps, working seamlessly together.
  12. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Who can see my memories?, checked 2026-09-13
    The only people who can see your timelines are you, anyone you invite, and anyone another parent invites … BackThen does not autodetect a child in a photo, simply because doing so incorrectly may mean someone sees a photo you didn't want them to.
  13. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Is BackThen safe?, checked 2026-09-13
    We store and backup your photos and videos on a series of secure servers, inaccessible directly from the outside world. Your timeline is then served up only to your account and those you share it with … Our servers are based in Amazon's cloud infrastructure (AWS), with all industry standard security measures enforced … Your timeline cannot be discovered, it can only be accessed via invites you send.
  14. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — I have family that don’t have mobile devices - can they use BackThen?, checked 2026-09-13
    When you invite your family to your BackThen timeline, they can follow their invite mail on any computer or web browser and sign up on the web … The web experience is not designed for managing your timelines, so those options remain the app only, but your family can see all your new moments, like and comment on them as normal, even if they don't have mobile devices.
  15. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — What happens when I share my timeline?, checked 2026-09-13
    they will receive a link that allows them to sign up and join your timeline … Family and friends can view your timeline, like memories, comment on memories and add their own photos and videos to the timeline. You can remove their abilities to like, comment and add moments as you see fit. Partners have all the same rights as you.
  16. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — Can I control what my family can do with my timeline?, checked 2026-09-13
    your family are given a default set of permissions but you can change what they can and cannot do … you can change those settings per child … To remove (or reinstate) Sam's ability to add content, likes, or comments to Elliott's timeline, or download photos to their phone, toggle any of the options on the right hand side.
  17. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How do I export all my memories?, checked 2026-09-13
    BackThen will begin the process of packaging up all of Alice's moments, and will email you when this is complete, which can take up to 24 hours, depending on the size of the timeline. You can request an export for each timeline every 30 days. The email will include links to download ZIP files of all the memories you've selected … the export tool is a premium feature for VIPs. You can still download memories individually as a free user.
  18. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How do I cancel my VIP subscription/membership?, checked 2026-09-13
    You'll continue to enjoy VIP benefits until the end of your current billing period … If your storage exceeds the free 1GB allowance, you won't be able to add new memories unless you rejoin VIP … All your existing memories remain safe and accessible up to 60 days after.
  19. BackThen — Google Play listing: BackThen - Baby Book & Albums, checked 2026-09-13
    BackThen - Baby Book & Albums · Back Then Digital Ltd · In-app purchases · 100K+ Downloads.
  20. BackThen — BackThen FAQ — How do I add photos and videos to the timeline?, checked 2026-09-13
    Web users can find the upload option in the top right of the screen - a Plus symbol next to the main menu icon … If you are a guest on a BackThen timeline, it is possible that the parents have restricted your access to read-only.

Questions people ask

Is BackThen free?

1 GB is free — ‘typically up to three months’ of memories — with the same features as VIP. VIP is £4.99 / $6.49 / €5.99 a month through the app stores, or £49.99 / $64.99 / €59.99 a year on backthen.com, for 200 GB; BackThen says it ‘currently allow[s] unlimited uploads at no extra cost’.

Does BackThen keep the original photos?

Yes. VIP lists ‘Full resolution preservation’, the free tier keeps photos ‘always preserved in their original quality’, and downloading a memory returns ‘your originally uploaded file’. The bulk export tool, which zips ‘all your original files’, is VIP-only; free users download one item at a time.

What happens to my photos if I stop paying for BackThen?

By its price-increase FAQ, you can no longer add content or export after the last day of the subscription, friends and family lose access, and ‘After 60 days, your account will be closed, and all information, photos & videos deleted’. The terms also delete free-package content 120 days after the last login, and delete the oldest content when an account is over its allowance.

Can grandparents use BackThen without the app?

Yes, with an account. Invited family ‘can follow their invite mail on any computer or web browser and sign up on the web’, then view, like, comment and — if you allow it — upload. Managing timelines stays in the app.

Does BackThen use AI on the photos?

Its privacy policy says it uses ‘computer vision and analysis of photo metadata’ to help organise photos, and its timelapse feature ‘shows you how their face changes over time’. The FAQ says it does not auto-detect a child in a photo for tagging. No off switch is described.

Every question on the site, on one page →